what species wood is that? the first picture I would have thought Claro walnut, but the assembly photo seems too light.

Beautiful work and finish

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Out here in the west, this wood has become all the rage. It is alder; this in particular is "rustic" alder (a step between clear and knotty). It is easy to machine and stains wonderfully. It is also extremely soft and prone to damage. It grows along the west coast and is unique because it is deciduous and bares cones.

After being "distressed" (beaten to death with nuts, bolts, keys and a board with screws sticking out of it), the final finish is an oil-based stain, two coats gloss pre-cat lacquer and a topcoat of satin.

Nice. The top must have cost a pretty penny. Hey, can ya move those stools aside and take another pic of the base?
I've got 8 old oak church pews for wood, and I'm building one up downstairs, but need some ideas for the base paneling.

Nice. The top must have cost a pretty penny. Hey, can ya move those stools aside and take another pic of the base?
I've got 8 old oak church pews for wood, and I'm building one up downstairs, but need some ideas for the base paneling.

Mine's going to be a bit bigger, and sort of a curved L-shape. Oak is for the top, although I do have one panel that I haven't sorted out how to use it. Maybe as part of the back. It's the curving bit that is going to be tedious. Bending anything but plywood will take some fixturing and steam to get it going right.

Curved bar rail in a 4 ft radius is not cheap :huh but that is how it usually works for me.

Out here in the west, this wood has become all the rage. It is alder; this in particular is "rustic" alder (a step between clear and knotty). It is easy to machine and stains wonderfully.

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Awesome stuff, XR. Does that place on the north side if I-90 just east of Post Falls right at the Highway 41 exit still run alder? Seems like they used to make furniture parts or something there and it was all alder they ran.

Awesome stuff, XR. Does that place on the north side if I-90 just east of Post Falls right at the Highway 41 exit still run alder? Seems like they used to make furniture parts or something there and it was all alder they ran.

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Thanks!

They run pretty much everything, but alder is booming so it just seems that way! Link: Aagesen Millworks

I'd be interested in what hardware you used for the fold-down functionality. Have you done anything like this before and what pitfalls to look out for.

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http://www.wallbed.com/ The hardware is around $300, and come with easy-to-follow instructions and an assembly DVD.

I've done quite a few of them, but that is one of the few that I am proud to show pics of. The clients usually pick some off-the-wall wood or color combo that is hideous. There is really nothing to watch out for, as long as you follow the directions. Over the years, I have learned to alter them a little bit to handle the weight of all of that "ornate-ness."